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Lessons through Luke

12 Basic Needs in Ministry – part 3

12 Basic Needs in Ministry – part 3 – Led by the Spirit

Christian, are you being Spirit-led or flesh-led? Do you know the difference?

Just like Jesus was led by the Spirit, every Christian must learn how the Holy Spirit leads you too.

Even Jesus was submissive and allowed Himself to be led by the Spirit as the Messiah did His earthly ministry. And as we know that Jesus is our only perfect example of life and ministry…it should go without saying that we Christians must learn who the Holy Spirit is, and how to detect when He is trying to lead us, so that we can also be led by the Spirit.

These are just some of the simple ways to learn who the Holy Spirit is, and thus also teaching you to know how the Spirit can lead you as a Christian:

    The Spirit leads you by HELPING – John 14:16 – “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (also John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7)
    Did you know that the Holy Spirit wants to help you to do God’s will? Can you allow the Helper to help you, so that you can be led by the Spirit? Jesus taught that He would send the Helper to you, and that “it is to your advantage” (John 16:7).
    The Spirit leads you with TRUTH – John 14:17 – “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (also John 15:26; 16:13)
    The Holy Spirit is trying to lead you away from lies, away from the devil – the father of lies – and into walking out God’s Word of Truth, the Holy Bible. Truth is like a belt, in your spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:14).
    “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15; KJV)
    Study Ephesians 6:10-20; Psalm 119:43; Ephesians 1:13.
    The Spirit leads by TEACHING you – John 14:26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
    The Holy Spirit is trying to teach you; are you going to remain humble enough to learn and follow His lead? Will you be humble so that God’s Spirit can teach you His Word? In discipleship, if you do not have a teachable spirit, you will find it difficult, if not impossible to be a disciple of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2). Solid teaching of God’s Word is one of the greatest needs in God’s Church!
    Pastors must feed the flock of God with God’s Word, as Bible teaching is what pastors are called to do, and those who love Jesus will simply comply with this and teach all of God’s Word (John 21:15-17).
    Husbands must fulfill their role as the spiritual leader in their marriage by teaching their wives God’s Word (Ephesians 5:22-33).
    Study Scriptures such as John 21:15-17; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Ephesians 4:11-16; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 1:28-29; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; 2 Timothy 3:1-4:5; 1 Peter 2:2; 1 John 2:26-27.
    The Spirit leads you by CONVICTION – John 16:8 – “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” (also John 16:9-11)
    We should obey when God tries to lead us, and not be disobedient and rebellious. Christian, you must learn to obey the goading conviction that the Spirit preaches to your heart, as He uses God’s Word like a Sword to pierce your heart (Hebrews 4:12-13; Ephesians 6:17). Don’t be like Saul (who became Paul the Apostle), who kicked against the Christ he couldn’t see by persecuting and killing the Christians he could see (Acts 9:5; 26:14-15). Their lives and mouths were simply preaching God’s Word and Saul couldn’t handle it. Far too many Christians today fall to this, and end up persecuting and hurting other Christians.

    This is the design of the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12-13) used by the Spirit of God (John 16:8) in the child of God’s life!

    When a Christian’s life preaches God’s Word and shines the Lord’s light (Matthew 5:14-16), the Holy Spirit testifies of the truth in God’s Word and pierces hearts around. The disobedient person, not knowing how to detect the Spirit’s conviction and heart piercing – just feels the piercing pain of their rebellion. But, instead of being humble and submitting to be led by God’s Spirit, the disobedient person might lash out at Christians around them, not knowing that they are actually persecuting Christ Himself! It is a sad commentary that this seems to happen so often today with Christian to Christian persecution, and yet the devil is the only one that is pleased with this as relationships and fellowship gets broken.

    This is essentially how Stephen and other Christians were persecuted and killed in Biblical times, and how it still seems to happen today.

    The Spirit leads you to GLORIFY JESUS – John 16:14 – “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
    Do your attitudes and actions glorify Jesus Christ or are you exalting your own name and fame? If God is doing a work in your life, do you acknowledge God having done the work, or are you taking the credit for it?
    The Spirit leads you by His PEACE – Colossians 3:15 – “let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
    Do you know how to detect the spiritual peace that God gives? Far too many Christians confuse “God’s peace” for something that simply benefits “self” or something that is in alignment with personal goals, selfish motives and selfish ambitions. But, this is not the way of being led by the Spirit, as Jesus was led. Are you pursuing God’s peaceful path, or relying upon what is comfortable to you and your life? Many times, pushy people end up violating God’s peace as their flesh and pride pursue things like control and position. That always disrupts unity in the body of Christ, and peace is not restored until the pushy person repents from their sin, or sadly, as happens all too often, they leave a fellowship only to have issues wherever they go (you cannot run from God and yourself).
    Study and obey Scriptures on God’s peace such as Galatians 5:13-26; 2 Timothy 2:22-23; Hebrews 12:14-15; Psalm 34:14; Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Romans 14:19; Romans 8:6; 2 Peter 3:14; Ephesians 4:2-3.
    The Spirit leads you to produce SPIRITUAL FRUIT – Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
    Check out the end result. If a Christian is being led by the Spirit, their life will result in more of this undeniable, spiritual fruit which is God’s agape love. You cannot fake this fruit. See also Scriptures such as Mark 4:1-20; pray and aim to stay planted where God has planted you that you may become like the 4th soil Jesus taught about, and “bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15)

Are you thirsty to have God’s Spirit flow through you?! Come to Jesus and partake of the Holy Spirit, so that out of your “heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-39). Cry out to the Lord and ask that He empowers your life. Repent from your sins and ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit so you can be led by the Spirit like Jesus was. Learn how to listen to the Lord as He leads you. Spend much time in prayer and the study of God’s Word so you can know how He speaks and leads you. Do it now!